We’ve talked before about geisha as one of Japan’s distinctly female professions, so this time we’re going to share with you a few fun facts about the geisha and their floating world.
How many of these things did you know about geisha?
1. In their heyday, geisha were fashion trend-setters and were even used to promote beauty products.
Geisha were subjects of woodblock prints, kabuki plays and they became role models for Japanese women. Many people even collected geisha photo cards.
2. Geisha have traveled abroad to perform for audiences around the world.
3. Geisha also entertain women.
Contrary to popular belief, geisha are not just for men. They also entertain female clients who revere them as models of feminine grace. In addition, they perform publicly at designated times during the year.
4. Geisha are treated like celebrities in Japan
It’s unusual even for Japanese people to get a chance to see geisha or be entertained by one in private unless they are a politician or business executive.
5. Young girls who decide to become geisha at a young age will opt out of high school so they can begin their training.
They then become apprentices in boarding houses called "okiya" where they continue their education.
6. The younger the woman, the more red she wears.
Have you ever wondered why geisha paint their faces white? The traditional colors used for make up are black, white and red, all of which provide a striking contrast to the colors in their kimono.
However, Peter Macintosh who teaches geisha culture at Kansai University in Japan adds: “They started wearing white make up so their faces would reflect in the candle light.”
7. Geisha are mostly dressed by males called "otokoshi."
While geisha (also called "maiko" or "geiko" in Kyoto) apply their own make-up, "otokoshi" have the skilled task of dressing them.
Decorative obi (belt) ornaments, called "pochhiri" are often studded with precious or semi-precious jewels and start from $5,000.
9. Geisha can never completely relax, even at home.
The pressure and expectation to be models of proper manners never abates. “If I want to just lie on my side and watch TV I can’t because I am always supposed to sit up straight,” says a geisha in the documentary ‘Real Geisha Real Women.’ “If I go up to my room, my younger sister is there. She would remind me that as her senior, I am setting a bad example.”
10. "Ryotei" or "ochaya" (members-only tea houses) are exclusive venues where geisha perform.
These restaurants and tea houses are places where VIPs can go to make deals and know they are in complete privacy.
Sources: NHK’s Begin Japanology, YouTube (Real Geisha Real Women), Facebook (Real Geisha Real Women), Kyoto Sights and Nights, Peter Macintosh
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And they are not whor*s, a more thoroughly significant point though
Otherwise some bits above epitomise much of social expectations here outside of that world:
The pressure and expectation to be models of proper manners never abates. “If I want to just lie on my side and watch TV I can’t because I am always supposed to sit up straight, ... If I go up to my room, my younger sister is there. She would remind me that as her senior, I am setting a bad example.”
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nandakandamanda
Geisha are women, people like anyone else, but they have chosen a very demanding way of life.
No one rule for all, there are/were levels of Geisha, and the lower you got, the lower you got, until the word Geisha was not particularly applicable any longer.
On the ship coming over to Japan the sailors all used to say "Geesha" with a knowing leer.
Thanks for the info, Amy! :8)
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Janar Sibul
geishas were also used as assassins during the samurai wars era
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gokai_wo_maneku
One more interesting point: actually geisha were men. "geisha" is not used in Kyoto, where they use "maiko" and "geiko", as the article notes. The reason is that in Kyoto, traditionally geisha were men, and after the last one died about 30 years ago, people in Kyoto did not use the word geisha anymore. Geisha for women is in Tokyo.
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Dan Lewis
I read this article twice, but the second time, it was all lies - I already knew those things.
1) Geishas were originally men. 2) Geishas used to blacken their teeth as it was considered beautiful and a status symbol. 3) In spite of it's place in iconic Japanese pop culture, being a geisha is a rapidly dying art. There are currently less than 1000 geishas in all of Japan.
1) Geishas were originally men. 2) Geishas used to blacken their teeth as it was considered beautiful and a status symbol. 3) In spite of it's place in iconic Japanese pop culture, being a geisha is a rapidly dying art. There are currently less than 1000 geishas in all of Japan.
Jimae Geiko get all of the money they earn, but also have to pay rent for an appartment in their hanamachi or close to it (which are expensive), bills, lessons (at least 2,500 USD a month), makeup, the hairdresser (mainly during odori-season), have to pay an okiya or ochaya for scheduling their appointments and are ...
She quickly gained fame and became the most sought-after geisha in Gion, the most famous geisha district in Kyoto. She entertained many celebrities, politicians, and members of the royal family, including Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II.
How do Geisha sleep? Maiko would often be trained to sleep using a Takamura as a pillow to maintain their hairstyle. While geiko or geisha would sometimes do the same, some opt to use a wig because the hairstyle often damages the natural hair over time.
Participants, especially women, express a strong interest in understanding the cultural aspects of being a geisha. Some believe that women are generally more curious and interested in exploring different cultures, such as Japanese culture through the geisha experience.
Today, signs in three languages also explain that geisha photography is not allowed without a permit, and that violators could be charged up to ¥10,000 ($67). However, according to Ota, this fine is unenforceable.
In the past, there was no electricity in Japan, so artists entertained by dim candlelight. Eventually, they started painting the faces white to look more beautiful in such conditions.
Mineko Iwasaki became the most famous and highly paid Geisha. Parents sold Mineko when she was only five years old. The owner of Okiya, Madame Oyma officially adopted the girl, making her the heir. At 15 years of age Mineko became a student (maiko), and at age of 21 she was the most famous geisha in Japan.
Though technology and social media have had an important impact on the Empire of Japan, many Geisha prefer not to evolve with modern times. Apprentice Geisha are not permitted to use mobile phones, however they keep up to date with current affairs including economy and politics by digesting the daily newspapers.
Diet. A geisha's diet is important as it maintains their figure and affects their skin's appearance. Geishas will typically stick to a traditional Japanese-style diet, which includes plenty of green tea for its antioxidant properties, along with rice, fish and seaweed.
But Sayuki decided to put the documentary idea aside and was accepted as the first white woman in Japanese history to become a geisha. "I became a geisha 12 years ago," said Sayuki. "I'm the first white woman in 400 years of geisha history." Sayuki is fascinated with the history of geishas in Japan.
The vast majority of geisha after the war were aged 20–24, as many retired in their mid-twenties after finding a patron – a trend carried over from the pre-war karyūkai: I showed the mother of the Yamabuki [okiya, in 1975] some statistics on the age distribution of the geisha population in the 1920s.
Let's remember that a maiko is a geisha/geiko's apprentice, which means that this young girl is in the process of learning and doesn't have the knowledge or the experience of a geisha. The kimono is a Japanese traditional dress that maikos and geishas still wear nowadays, to work and in their daily life.
Geiko can choose either to specialize in dance or music. There are no age limits on the geisha, there is a geisha (geiko) in Gion who is 90. However, one loses the status of geisha whenever she chooses to marry. Geisha (geiko) must be single.
You may have heard of geishas through Western films and old-style Japanese movies. But do geishas still exist in Japan? There were once around 80,000 geisha across Japan, dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1886) when geisha were classed as high-end courtesans for the Japanese elite.
The white face makeup customary to geisha and maiko originated in China. At that time, they wore thick white makeup because it looked better in the light, particularly if they were to perform to or entertain nobles. In the dim candlelight, wearing thick white makeup created a porcelain look.
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